Wallaby Watch 2014

[Braveheart81]

I think it is silly reading too much into Skelton's struggles at the lineout in the Tahs vs Reds game. He was given the job of calling the lineout for the first time ever which was highly experimental and clearly didn't work. The Tahs and the Wallabies aren't about to repeat that.

Through the rest of the season he quite logically hasn't been used much in the lineout and the Tahs have had a perfectly workable lineout for the majority of the season.

The Wallabies lineout suffered no ill effects when he played his one test.

The Wallabies lineout has functioned perfectly well with Simmons, Fardy and Palu as the three jumpers.

 

[Highlander35]

Oh daz.

Never change. Please.

 

[Train Without a Station]

It just needs to be considered that with Horwill the line out is stronger. With Skelton it's weaker. Neither is a be all and end all.

Looking at a single game for any more insight is deceptive.

 

[Sully]

While I would pick Carter, Simmons and horwill in my squad I believe that with Skelton and Palu you have one decent lineout option. It's not like they have never caught a lineout.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[daz]

Oh daz.

Never change. Please.

I can't, even if I wanted to. @Gagger has written my personality traits into my contract.

I'm a one-dimensional character in the GAGR soap opera. Usually the first one killed off in a "who-dunnit" thread to get cheap ratings.

 

[Lindommer]

Whom would Inman replace? Who'd be a selector.

 

[daz]

Whom would Inman replace? Who'd be a selector.

I'll bite.

Kuridrani or Horne.

Yeah, I said it.

 

[Lindommer]

Difficult one there, daz, don't know if I agree with you. Those two blokes've looked good because they're in good teams, hard to put Inman in front of them.

 

[daz]

Difficult one there, daz, don't know if I agree with you. Those two blokes've looked good because they're in good teams, hard to put Inman in front of them.

Well, yes, that would be one decent reason.

But in all honesty, putting my rose-tinted-bias specs aside, I honestly cannot see anything in Kuridrani that makes him a better option to Mitch.

I think I can recall 2 games this year where I've thought Mitch really let himself down. He has been incredibly consistent in tackles, metres gained and general linking play. His work at the breakdown is top-notch (maybe a bit too good - I'd rather he backed off a bit for the quick ball).

Where does Mitch not quite get the Wallaby radar pinging? Tries scored.

It just proves that one man's opinion against 99.99% of the rugby public is occasionally right.

Fuck, you got me going again. I need to take deep breaths and a bit of zen meditation to centre myself.

 

[Slim 293]

But in all honesty, putting my rose-tinted-bias specs aside, I honestly cannot see anything in Kuridrani that makes him a better option to Mitch.

You might need to remove those contacts as well.........

 

[Braveheart81]

We've potentially got massive depth in the backline next season. Should be huge competition for spots in the RWC squad.

Halfback: White, Phipps, Genia, Burgess
Fly half: Foley, Cooper, Beale, To'omua, Leali'ifano
Inside centre: To'omua, Leali'ifano, Beale, Hunt, Horne, McCabe
Outside centre: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Kuridrani, Hunt
Wing: Speight, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), JOC (James O'Connor), Tomane, McCabe, Horne
Fullback: Folau, Beale, Hunt, JOC (James O'Connor)

... and that's not even including Mitch Inman!

 

[daz]

Don't mind me; it's just my annual crusade to get the boy a cap.

 

[Braveheart81]

Don't mind me; it's just my annual crusade to get the boy a cap.

Grab your partners for the unfortunately never playing for the Wallabies waltz.

 

[Gnostic]

I wouldnt be discussing JOC (James O'Connor) or Hunt in front of people who have actually played Rugby in Australia this year. This has been a very long term bug bear of mine, if we have a no overseas rule, enforce it in spirit as well as the letter of the rule.

The farce that was the selection of Elsom and Vickerman over performing players who had actually served Australian Rugby in that season still rankles with me, especially since neither ever lived up to the hype that heralded their selection based as it was on past glories and not on actual form.

 

[daz]

Grab your partners for the unfortunately never playing for the Wallabies waltz.

[Member "Braveheart81" Blocked: daz upset: Code Infraction Red, DUMMY SPIT: Grade 3]

 

[Braveheart81]

I wouldnt be discussing JOC (James O'Connor) or Hunt in front of people who have actually played Rugby in Australia this year. This has been a very long term bug bear of mine, if we have a no overseas rule, enforce it in spirit as well as the letter of the rule.

The farce that was the selection of Elsom and Vickerman over performing players who had actually served Australian Rugby in that season still rankles with me, especially since neither ever lived up to the hype that heralded their selection based as it was on past glories and not on actual form.

I'll give you Elsom, but Vickerman was one of our best forwards in 2011 upon his return. His body was completely crocked but he absolutely delivered.

I was talking about 2015 and given the fact that Hunt and JOC (James O'Connor) will start the year in Australia playing Super Rugby just like everyone else, why can't they be discussed?

It's a completely different situation to Elsom and Vickerman coming in part way through the year.

 

[Highlander35]

Out of Curiosity, what's the Wallabies scheduling outside the World Cup look like next season? Obviously there's no June Internationals, but do we have a full double round robin Rugby Championship? Is it a 3 Test Bledisloe, or just the 2? And how many Warm up Tests will they end up playing before the cup?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Out of Curiosity, what's the Wallabies scheduling outside the World Cup look like next season? Obviously there's no June Internationals, but do we have a full double round robin Rugby Championship? Is it a 3 Test Bledisloe, or just the 2? And how many Warm up Tests will they end up playing before the cup?

We'll have the Bledisoe sewn up after 2 - The third will be a dead rubber

 

[Pete King]

Backrow: Fardy, Hooper (c), Palu, Higginbotham, Hodgson, McCalman

Is anyone else seriously frustrated by Higgenbothams ability to meet his potential ??

Cliffy Palu has had his best year yet, he needs to repeat his off season to a t prior 2015. I really like Fardy, McCalman and Hodgson ; Tough, hard working but whilst Hooper is world Class and in current form Palu too I dont think these three are. Fair?unfair?

 

[Braveheart81]

Out of Curiosity, what's the Wallabies scheduling outside the World Cup look like next season? Obviously there's no June Internationals, but do we have a full double round robin Rugby Championship? Is it a 3 Test Bledisloe, or just the 2? And how many Warm up Tests will they end up playing before the cup?

Super Rugby will go straight through with no break for June internationals.

I'm unsure what exactly they'll do in the Rugby Championship.

In 2011 we played a test against Samoa then 4 Tri Nations games (home and away against SA and NZ) before the RWC.

My guess is there'll be home and away against SA, NZ and Argentina and that will be it before the RWC. Certainly no third Bledisloe.